The luxurious Le Sereno in St Barth will reopen to the public in December 2018 after a meticulous refurbishment following damage caused to the island and its buildings by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Baroque Travel finds out what it will look like

Voted ‘Best Hotel in the Caribbean’ by Condé Nast Traveler in its previous incarnation, the Le Sereno St Barth is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. It will offer guests a variety of new experiences as well as its renowned hospitality and luxury. New amenities include a brand new restaurant, completely redesigned guest rooms including family suites with private pools, as well as a fitness center, enhanced spa facilities – and more.

This renowned beachfront hotel and spa has been either rebuilt or enhanced, and now boasts 39 suites as well as 3 large 4-bedroomed Villas, most with breath taking views of the Caribbean Sea. Many of the guest rooms in the hotel boast a fresh new design. In some cases, floor plans in the rooms have been reworked to allow for more living space.

The resort stretches for 600 feet along the private beachfront at Grand Cul de Sac, a protected coral reef that is popular for snorkelling, paddle boarding and kite surfing. The hotel staff has been expertly trained to provide personalized attention around the clock and the variety of facilities and amenities provide every possible laid-back luxury.

The restaurant has been completely redesigned and now offers a new bar and an all-beach extension. It was previously famous for its amazing 180-degree views of Grand Cul de Sac and these still do not disappoint. It now boasts a new menu that is as good as the one that preceded it, if not better.

The new bar is centrally located in the restaurant and offers craft cocktails as well as an extensive list of wine and spirits. There will also be a juice station at the bar where guests can order freshly squeezed wellness and detox elixirs. In addition, a new beach restaurant is located next to the main restaurant, offering casual dining with one’s feet in the sand under coconut trees.

Other new features include the completely rebuilt spa and fitness facility with new treatment rooms and state-of-the-art fitness equipment. There is also a new on-site boutique offering curated finds from leading French designer brands.

In the past, Le Sereno’s iconic swimming pool was often photographed and featured regularly on Instagram. It is still there, as are the picturesque red doors leading into the lobby building.

Some things about Le Sereno will never change. These include the robes and towels in the guest rooms that were created exclusively for the hotel by D. Porthault, the lush bath toiletries by Ex Voto Paris, 24-hour room service, a private bar, complimentary beach bags with custom Le Sereno Havaiana flip flop sandals as well as the custom-designed Le Sereno bags and accessories created by Anya Hindmarch.